A postcolonial scrutiny of perfomative and utilitarian aspects of Igbo Masquerade Theatre: <i>Adamma</i> of Nibo City in Anambra State of Nigeria

Abstract

Whatever position anyone holds about the so-called Eurocentric tags on the analysis of indigenous theatrical performances of the Africans does not automatically dismiss the fact that they equally possess the essentials through which indigenous performances can be probed. It is in line with this that this article critically appraises, from a postcolonial perspective, the impacts of globalisation on the performative and utilitarian essences of the Igbo masquerade theatre, using the Adamma of Nibo City in Anambra State of Nigeria as a paradigm. Globalization, like every other thing under the sun, has its pros and cons. Postcolonialism, an in-depth academic appraisal of the impacts of western contact with the colonised affords various researchers an avenue to probe into the various levels of the impacts of colonialism on the socio-political fabric of societies. The interest of this study arises from an almost abysmal misrepresentation of African cultural values as a result of mongrelization. African home videos, cultural displays in the forms of masquerades and other such cultural practices have been considerably bastardized as a result of this admixture. It is within this cusp that this article juxtapositionally examines both the utilitarian and the aesthetic values of these indigenous theatrical forms from the perspective of the original status of one of these performances, the Adamma masquerade vis-a vis what currently obtains. It is at the interface of this appraisal that we intend to theorize on the observable influences or impacts of the admixture with a view to leaving room for more academic polemics that could enrich the corpus of masquerade theatre in Africa.